New outdoor event planned for Victoria in 2015.

Australian motor show to make comeback

Melbourne will host the first of a new generation in motor shows from 2015.

The new-look event comes after the death of traditional motor shows in Australia, which have been cancelled in Sydney and Melbourne due to a lack of manufacturer support.

Details surrounding the new event are scarce, though it is likely to feature a combination of high-speed displays and hands-on activities to woo showgoers.

Conventional motor shows in exhibition centres have fallen out of favour with car companies looking to give customers a first-hand experience with new cars.

A spokesman for the VACC says it is examining Sandown Raceway and the Melbourne Showgrounds as possible locations for the show, which would include exhibitions and demonstrations from car and motorcycle manufacturers as well as motoring clubs.

Ford gave customers a chance to get behind the wheel at the last Sydney motor show in 2012, allowing people to test drive the latest Ford Focus, Ranger and Kuga in a low-speed obstacle course.

The Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce and Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, joint organising bodies that arranged Australia’s Melbourne and Sydney motor shows, split on Tuesday and put a final nail in the coffin of the annual auto expo alternating between Sydney and Melbourne.